As electrophysiologists we confront the challenge of articulating the risks and benefits of various management options to our patients and their families. Weighing the upfront risk typically associated with an interventional procedure against potential adverse events in the long term is a vexing problem that we frequently face in clinical practice. This discussion involves both the immediate ri...

As electrophysiologists we confront the challenge of articulating the risks and benefits of various management options to our patients and their families. Weighing the upfront risk typically associated with an interventional procedure against potential adverse events in the long term is a vexing problem that we frequently face in clinical practice. This discussion involves both the immediate ri...

The delivery of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy is sophisticated and requires the programming of over 100 settings. Physicians tailor these settings with the intention of optimizing ICD therapeutic efficacy, but the usefulness of this approach has not been studied and is unknown. Empiric programming of settings such as anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) has been demonstrated to ...

Introduction: T wave oversensing (TWOS) is a major drawback of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and data on predictors of TWOS in ICD is limited. We aimed to calculate a novel index of T wave safety margin (TWSM) and assess its potential for evaluating TWOS during the procedure of ICD implantation. Methods and Results: Thirty-two consecutive patients with ICD implantation were enrol...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLINICAL RESEARCH Implantable Cardi...

Background—Prospective studies defining the risk associated with pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator replacement surgeries do not exist. These procedures are generally considered low risk despite results from recent retrospective series reporting higher rates. Methods and Results—We prospectively assessed predefined procedure-related complication rates associated with elective p...

BACKGROUND Prospective studies defining the risk associated with pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator replacement surgeries do not exist. These procedures are generally considered low risk despite results from recent retrospective series reporting higher rates. METHODS AND RESULTS We prospectively assessed predefined procedure-related complication rates associated with elective...

As the number of patients having implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) devices is increasing, it is important for the physicians and patients to be aware of situations and conditions that can result in interference with normal functioning of these devices. There are multiple cases of malfunction of ICDs reported in literature and it may be of great significance to have an overview of the...

................................................................................................................. 7 LIST OF PAPERS ........................................................................................................ 9 ABBREVIATIONS.................................................................................................... 10 INTRODUCTION.................................

BACKGROUND Sudden cardiac death remains a leading cause of mortality despite advances in medical treatment for the prevention of ischemic heart disease and heart failure. Recent studies showed a benefit of implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation, but appropriate shocks for ventricular tachyarrhythmias were noted only in a minority of patients during 4 to 5 years of follow-up. Accord...